Zee Write Stuff

EEEEK! Another Christmas Tag Questionnaire
--- is this THE ONE???
I hope so.

1. Eggnog or hot chocolate?
Lately hot cocoa -- 'cuz I can do it justice w/little or no sugar/fat.
But Egg Nog -- the original real stuff -- whoa baby! talk about apply to hips...
I do have a bottle of Da Vinci Sugar Free Egg Nog syrup. Goes great in coffee for that holiday latte, and I have added some to milk for a hot toddy.
But nothin' will compare to that old time thick rich egg nog... which is why I do not cross the line any more.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just put them under the tree? WRAP!
Well, maybe not a bike. My mom used to love to leave a few unwrapped, but I guess I never got that bug. I love to plan matching paper and tags and bows. EEEk, I'm a Craft Freak all year long!

3. Colored or white lights on tree/house? Jewel tones! Little ones. Oh, outside, white lights in the garlands and wreaths on the wrap-around porch banister.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? I hang just about everything else. Ha! I do have two homemade "kissing balls" hanging from the hooks (where baskets of flowers hang in the summer) on the front porch. But I didn't find any fake mistletoe for them. Maybe I should? So I can complete the whole fake mystique, eh?

5. When do you put your decorations up? When school is out, I feel free and ready to do frivolous nothings. BUT... I bend that a bit if I simply NEED to get myself into the holiday swing/spirit.

6. What is your holiday dish? I'm mostly the Thanksgiving cook. When it comes to Christmas... mmm. Long ago when we were younger and asked to parties, I'd take a crock pot of Whiskey Weenies -- that's hot doggies, cut in bite-sized pieces and cooked in brown sugar, catsup, and whiskey. Sort of the protein equivalent of rum balls? For dessert -- I do a great PeterPaulMounds Cheesecake. But I have no real recipe... just wing it. I know what's in it. I get requests, but rarely do it any more.

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child. All my fond memories are of Christmas Eve at my grandparent's house. I still yearn for all those who are no longer with us. I see them in my mind's eye, I hear the songs and laughter, I smell my grandfather's skin. I wish I could hug him once more. I miss my dad more than I miss the California beaches. Okay, no more crying. Of course, the Christmas I found out about Santa Claus -- a bummer, but my parents let me wrap and be "an adult." Okay, nice compromise. Maybe they were not so bad, huh?

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? My mom goofed up the skates. She put the wrong tags on the packages. And I just "got it."

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? When I was merely a "lapsed" Catholic, we would go to midnight mass (which they would have at 10pm so nobody was out driving too late). Then we would come home and my son would jump up and down until we relented. Now I'm far away and I can make up the rules. But I love opening in the morning with the whole family -- lots of tradition, like a Tequila Sunrise break about 10 a.m., and awesome coffee cake from Wedekings Bakery, the last bakery in America to use Real Butter. So, to answer, I am in favor of the morning. And a great cup of coffee and lots of laughter and carols playing in the background. And a good roaring fire, if you have a fireplace, which we don't now, darm.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? Jewel tone lights, bulbs, and beads. I started over completely when I got divorced. I don't have as many decorations, but they all sparkle and tell me I'm OK. I left my heirloom decorations to Geoff. He doesn't really know that they come from 75 years or more of my grandmother's Christmases, but he would have inherited them anyway, so he has them now, while I'm still alive to know he's enjoying them. I do have a new character decorations: Maleficent and Hello Kitty. I used to have a set of the three fairies from Sleeping Beauty, but I think they, too, are with the decorations Geoff has inherited. I hope so!!

11. Snow! Love it or dread it? Love the snow. Hate the ice. I'm content inside looking out!

12. Can you ice skate? Never even tried. As a girl growing up in CA, never even thought about it. Now I'm in snow country and I'm too old to do anything that silly and dangerous.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? I still have her. My Shirley Temple doll. I also remember my bike. Loved it. Other gifty memories flit about, but those two are good, warm yummy feelings.

14. What's the most important thing about the holidays for you? I'd say being with family, but those days are gone for a time. I think it's all the feeling of wrapping up another year and being clever about what others need. I like to find the most unique gifts, or at least surprise somebody else. And maybe even surprise myself?

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? Mmmm.... I'm not that much of a dessert person. I like my sister's English toffee -- she makes it every year. And we used to really get into those cookie bars -- you know... the ones made on a graham cracker crust, with chocolate chips, coconut, walnuts, and sweetened condensed milk? I can't remember the name. OH, and plain ol' fudge -- made with chocolate chips, butter, sugar, and a jar of marshmallow creme. Yep. I used to think my mother was a genius for making that fudge!

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Probably just decorating the house -- unpacking all the goodies and setting up everything. When we were kids we had traditions like that, too. Exactly where we placed the special bowls and statues and wreaths.

17. What tops your tree? a star

18. Which do you prefer, giving or receiving? Giving. I love to figure out the perfect gift for each person. I'm really picky and I love it when I get the exactly right gift. Something just hums.... like a beautiful chord. I just know. And my awareness smile lights up my heart. I love that.

19. What is your favorite Christmas song? Oooh, I need more than one. First off, We Need a Little Christmas. Then, Andy Williams sings It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year. And if Aunt Alice was still with us, I'd want her to lead a few verses of We Wish You A Merry Christmas... just so I can giggle at the thought of "figgy pudding."

20. Candy canes. Nope.

21. Favorite Christmas movie? A Christmas Story. But in second, third, fourth position: Love Actually, Home Alone (1 & 2), A Christmas Carol (George C. Scott), and While You Were Sleeping, as well as Elf, White Christmas, and It's a Wonderful Life.

22. What do you leave for Santa? Hmmm, long time since... but cookies and milk were the key items, with carrots as an after thought. I hear my grandkids leave reindeer dust. Doncha just love marketing?